► Equpiment
CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT
As with every sport, riding requires that when you go on a more frequent basis, in order to get the most out of your riding, having certain items of clothing are important; some being a nessecity. It is a good idea to invest in certain items of kit if you are going to be riding regularly. Here is a list with some of the things you will need:
Most importantly out of all the kit used for riding is a hat. This is a legal requirement when riding and you cannot get on a horse if you're not wearing one! Hats have to be up to the most recent safety standard if they are going to offer you the best protection required. The standards can either be PAS 015-1998 or EN 1384-1996. Hats will do you no good if they dont fit correctly so this is one thing that it's not advisable to buy over the internet. Always make sure you have your har fitted corrrectly by a proffesional to make sure it is the right one for you. These can be borrowed from the stables however you may want to invest in your own if you will be riding regularly. Hats will cost around £40/£50.
Close fitting trousers are important so that the instructer can see your position correctly when you have a lesson. Mainly however they are best for their comfort. Baggy trousers will not be comfortable to ride in as they are likely to get bundled up underneath you in the saddle. Jodhpurs or Breeches is the name given to these special trousers used in riding and can be purchased cheaply from around £15. 
A pair of sturdy boots or shoes with a small heel. This is so that your foot cannot slip through the stirrups and get caught. Trainers and wellies are generally not suitable to ride in. Alternatively you can ride in a pair of long boots which are usually rubber or leather. These will on the whole be roughly the same in price as boots but they have the advantage of not requiring a pair of chaps which are often worn with short boots.
Half chaps are usually worn over your calves and stop your trousers rolling up or bunching and also make riding more comfortable by reinforcing your inside leg which has the most contact with the horse. These can be bought for around £10 or so.
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Gloves are really important if you want to make sure you have a good grip on the reins. Not everybody rides in them all the time but they are really useful when it's wet and generally to stop your hands from rubbing if you are riding for a long period of time. They do however have to have some grip on them to make sure the reins wont slip or they wont do you a lot of good!
- Whips are really useful and for those people who are more advanced they are crucial as a reinforcement aid to your legs. Whips come in many different shapes, sizes, colours and lengths but the main two for lessons are short whips or long schooling whips.
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Spurs are another important back up aid and for those people in BUSA teams it main be wise to invest in a pair as you will be unsure of the type of horse you will ride in competitions.
All of the above items can be bought online from a number of places all at reasonable prices. These are:
